Transportable food storage container

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a personal food storage buffet comprising a relatively large container of a size and shape that enables easy placement into and removal out of a refrigerator. The container has an upper tray and a lower tray. The lower tray is used to store utensils and dinnerware. The upper tray contains smaller containers and dispensers to store fixings and dressings. The upper tray also contains and heating/cooling pack to maintain freshness of the food. Positioned atop the perimeter of the cover is a pair of handles to transport the container. The upper tray and the lower tray may be connected together via a set of clips. An adjustable cover that serves as a sneeze guard is pivotally positioned over the upper tray via a pair of rods. When in the closed position, the cover attaches to the upper tray via a set of hinges and/or clips.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/336,533, filed Jan. 22, 2010, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a food storage container. More specifically, the invention relates to a transportable food storage container with multiple compartments that facilitates the preparation of meals, such as salads, that may require a variety of ingredients.

BACKGROUND

Salads and other meals requiring a variety of ingredients, e.g. tacos, nachos, sandwiches, ice cream sundaes, are often prepared for in home use. An inconvenience, however, is that each time one wants to prepare a salad, he or she must remove the various items to make the salad from a refrigerator, and after selecting the items, individually place them back into the refrigerator. This may present a problem where younger members of a family are involved.

Commercial operations, such as restaurants, provide salad bars which comprise a multiplicity of containers in a bed containing ice. During use, said containers have, for instance, lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, olives, cheese, croutons and other fixings placed in them. Commercial operation salad bars make it convenient for users to prepare a salad by selecting from the many offerings.

Thus, there is a need for a “personal buffet” which can be filled with salad making foodstuffs, placed into a refrigerator, and left for later use.

One disclosed container has a multiplicity of channels and, optionally, a larger container space for use in presenting foodstuff. Another disclosed container is a multi-container package, each container having an individual sealing lid.

SUMMARY

This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a personal food storage buffet comprising a relatively large container of a size and shape that enables easy placement into and removal out of a refrigerator. The container has an upper tray and a lower tray. The lower tray is used to store utensils and dinnerware. The upper tray contains smaller containers and dispensers to store fixings and dressings. The upper tray also contains and heating/cooling pack to maintain freshness of the food. Positioned atop the perimeter of the upper tray is a pair of handles to transport the container. The upper tray and the lower tray may be connected together via a set of clips. An adjustable cover that serves as a sneeze guard is pivotally positioned over the upper tray via rods. When in the closed position, the cover attaches to the upper tray via a set of hinges and/or clips.

In an alternative embodiment, the food storage buffet container of the present invention may be directly incorporated into the design of a refrigerator.

The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive and, in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention description below refers to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the food storage container of the present invention shown with the handles in the upright position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the food storage container of the present invention shown with the cover in the hinged open position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the food storage container of the present invention shown with the cover in the telescopic open position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the food storage container of the present invention shown with the cover tilted and in the telescopic open position;

FIG. 5 a top view of the food storage container of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the food storage container of FIG. 5 taken along line a-a;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the food storage container of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lower tray of the food storage container of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the lower tray of the food storage container of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings in general and to FIGS. 1 to 9 in particular, there is provided a food storage container 1000 comprising a relatively large container of a size and shape that enables easy placement into and removal out of a refrigerator in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7, the container includes an upper tray 100 and a lower tray 200. Upper tray 100 contains smaller containers 130 and dispensers 140 to store fixings and dressings. Upper tray 100 is divided multiple sections to house smaller containers 130 and dispensers 140. Smaller containers 130 are made of a dishwasher safe plastic, such as bisphenol-A free polycarbonate or polypropylene. Dispensers 140 are also made of a dishwasher safe plastic, such as low-density polyethylene. In one embodiment, there are six smaller containers and three dispensers.

Referring to FIG. 6, upper tray 100 also contains a heating/cooling pack 160 inserted underneath smaller containers 130 and dispensers 140 to maintain freshness of the food. Heating/cooling pack 160 may be microwaved or frozen. Heating/cooling pack 160 rests upon a series of bumps 115 molded into the floor 110 of upper tray 100. This keeps heating/cooling pack 160 off the floor 110 of upper tray 100 and minimizes condensation that may form inside lower tray 200. A suspension grid 150 is formed by the division of upper tray 100 into multiple sections. Suspension grid 150 suspends smaller containers 130 and dispensers 140 above heating/cooling pack 160.

Dispensers 140 may be stored in suspension grid 150 in either the upright or in an inverted position. When in the inverted position, the contents of dispenser 140 are able to flow to the spout 145 of dispenser 140.

A set of handles 180 are positioned on the exterior sides 170 of upper tray 100.

Upper tray 100 and lower tray 200 may be connected together via a set of clips 190. Clips 190 latch together in a tongue and groove configuration.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, an adjustable cover 300 that serves as a sneeze guard is pivotally positioned over upper tray 100 via rods 310 having a fixed length. Rods 310 are inserted into channels 125 centrally positioned on the interior sides 120 of upper tray 100. When not in use, rods 310 are attached to the back outside wall of upper tray 100. When in the closed position, cover 300 attaches to upper tray 100 via a set of hinges 330 and/or clips 320. In one embodiment, cover 300 is able to pivot on hinges 330 to just past 90 degrees. In another embodiment, cover 300 pivots on hinges 330 at 105 degrees. This keeps cover 300 up and out of the way without requiring additional clearance behind, which would be needed if cover 300 pivoted all the way back. Hinges 330 are configured to detach at this position so that cover 300 may be moved to the suspended configuration on rods 310. In an alternative embodiment, rods 310 may be telescoping, such that they are stored in channels 125 of upper tray 100.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, cover 300 is shaped such that it is complimentary to the shape of suspension grid 150. Cover 300 contains multiple gaskets 340 that seal each of smaller containers 130. A button 350 at the center of cover 300 is rotated while cover 300 is in the down position causing button 350 to interlock with suspension grid 150. This compresses gaskets onto the rims 135 of each of the smaller containers 130 so that they are individually sealed.

Positioned atop the perimeter of cover 300 is a pair of handles 360 to transport container 1000. Cover handles 360 have a groove 365 on the underside which allows them to lie flush to the upper surface of the perimeter of cover 300 when in the down position.

Referring to FIGS. 8 to 9, lower tray 200 is used to store utensils 220 and dinnerware 230. Utensils 220 and dinnerware 230 are made of a dishwasher safe plastic, such as bisphenol-A free polycarbonate or polypropylene. In one embodiment, utensils 220 include tongs, a serving spoon, and an ice cream scoop. Other utensils, such as forks, spoons and knives, may also be included, as well as napkins. Lower tray 200 also contains a box 240 for storing loose items, such as wetnaps or condiment packets.

In an alternative embodiment, a set of handles are positioned on the exterior sides of the lower tray.

In an alternative embodiment, food storage buffet container 1000 of the present invention may be directly incorporated into the design of a refrigerator.

The foregoing has been a detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the invention. Various modifications and additions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope if this invention. Each of the various embodiments described above may be combined with other described embodiments in order to provide multiple features. Furthermore, while the foregoing describes a number of separate embodiments of the apparatus and method of the present invention, what has been described herein is merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. Accordingly, this description is meant to be taken only by way of example, and not to otherwise limit the scope of this invention. 

1. A food storage container comprising: an upper tray, the upper tray being segmented into a plurality of sections, wherein the plurality of sections are configured to house a plurality of containers, wherein each of the containers has a rim, wherein the upper tray has a first side, a second side, and a bottom, and wherein a first channel is centrally positioned on an interior portion of the first side and a second channel is centrally positioned on an interior portion of the second side; and a cover, the cover being shaped to mate with the upper tray, wherein the cover has an interior surface, a first side and a second side, wherein the cover has a first rod centrally positioned on the first side and a second rod centrally positioned on the second side, and wherein the first rod mates with the first channel of the upper tray and the second rod mates with the second channel of the upper tray.
 2. The food storage container of claim 1 further comprising: a lower tray, the lower tray being configured for storage of a plurality of utensils and a plurality of dinnerware, wherein the lower tray is configured to mate with the upper tray.
 3. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the upper tray is connected to the lower tray by a first pair of clips.
 4. The food storage container of claim 2 wherein the lower tray further comprises a condiment box.
 5. The food storage container of claim 1 further comprising a heating and cooling pack, the heating and cooling pack being positioned underneath the plurality of containers, and wherein the heating and cooling pack is disposed upon the bottom of the upper tray.
 6. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the bottom of the upper tray further comprises a plurality of bumps, the bumps being molded into the bottom of the upper tray.
 7. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sections form a suspension grid, wherein the suspension grid suspends the plurality of containers above the heating and cooling pack.
 8. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the cover further comprises a plurality of gaskets, wherein the plurality of gaskets are disposed upon the interior surface of the cover, and wherein the plurality of gaskets correspond with the plurality of containers.
 9. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the cover further comprises a button, the button being centrally positioned upon the cover, wherein the cover and the suspension grid are interlocked upon rotation of the button, and wherein the gaskets on the interior surface of the cover are compressed onto the rims of each of the plurality of containers forming an individual seal for each of the plurality of containers.
 10. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the first rod and the second rod are telescopically adjustable within the first channel and the second channel.
 11. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the cover is pivotally adjustable upon the first rod and the second rod.
 12. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the cover is connected to the upper tray by a second pair of clips.
 13. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the cover is connected to the upper tray by a hinge.
 14. The food storage container of claim 11 wherein the cover pivots on the hinge in a range of approximately 90 degrees to approximately 120 degrees.
 15. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the cover further comprises a pair of handles, the handles being pivotally adjustable.
 16. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the upper tray further comprises a first handle and a second handle, the first handle being positioned on an exterior portion of the first side and the second handle being positioned on an exterior portion of the second side.
 17. The food storage container of claim 2 wherein the lower tray further comprises a first handle and a second handle, the first handle being positioned on an exterior portion of a first side of the lower tray and the second handle being positioned on an exterior portion of a second side of the lower tray.
 18. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the food storage container is incorporated into a refrigerator. 